System and method for rules-based control of custody of electronic signature transactions

ABSTRACT

Techniques for electronic signature processes are described. Some embodiments provide an electronic signature service (“ESS”) configured to facilitate the creation, storage, and management of electronic signature documents. In one embodiment, an electronic signature document may be associated with custody transfer rules that facilitate transfers of custody of an electronic signature document from one user or party to another. A custody transfer may results in a transfer of rights or capabilities to operate upon (e.g., modify, view, send, delete) an electronic signature document and/or its associated data. A custody transfer rule may be trigged by the occurrence of a particular event, such as the receipt of an electronic signature.

PRIORITY CLAIM

This application is a Continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.13/838,233, filed Mar. 15, 2013, which application claims the benefit ofU.S. Provisional Application No. 61/614,371, filed Mar. 22, 2012, whichapplications are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for electronicsignatures and, more particularly, to systems and methods forrules-based control of custody of electronic signature documents.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Preferred and alternative examples of the present invention aredescribed in detail below with reference to the following drawings:

FIG. 1 illustrates an example block diagram of an example embodiment ofan electronic signature service;

FIG. 2 is a flow diagram of an example rules manager process accordingto an example embodiment; and

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an example computing system forimplementing an electronic signature service according to an exampleembodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments described herein provide enhanced computer- andnetwork-based methods and systems for facilitating electronicsignatures. Example embodiments provide an electronic signature service(“ESS”) configured to facilitate the creation, storage, and managementof documents and corresponding electronic signatures. Using the ESS, afirst user (a “sender”) can provide or upload a document to be signed(“a signature document”), while a second user (a “signer”) can access,review, and sign the uploaded document.

Some embodiments of the ESS facilitate rules-based control of custody ofelectronic signature documents. In one embodiment, an electronicsignature document includes or is associated with custody transfer rules(or simply, “custody rules”) that govern, control, or facilitatetransfers of custody of an electronic signature document from one useror party to another. A custody transfer typically results in a transferof rights or capabilities to operate upon (e.g., modify, view, send,delete) an electronic signature document and/or its associated data(e.g., history, form data, signature data). In some embodiments, when anelectronic signature document changes custody, a first party associatedwith the document (e.g., that created, edited, or sent the document)loses one or more previously held rights to the document while a secondparty gains those and possibly other rights. For example, upon custodytransfer, a first user (e.g., the initial document sender) may lose theright to edit or delete the document, while a second user (e.g., amanager) may gain the rights to view, edit, and delete the document. Thefirst user may in some embodiments or configurations retain some rights,such as “read only” access allowing the first user to view the document.

Custody transfer rules may also specify conditions under which transfersof custody are to take place. For example, a sales organization may havetwo distinct types of users: sales representatives and sales managers. Asales representative may create an electronic signature document (orclone or copy an existing one) that represents a sales contract with acustomer. Such an electronic signature document may be associated withcustody transfer rules that cause custody of the document to transferfrom the sales representative to the sales manager upon the occurrenceof one or more events, such as when a customer completes an electronicsignature, thereby closing a sale or otherwise completing a transaction.Other conditions may be specified, such as when the sales representativeinitially sends the electronic signature document to the customer, whena customer indicates refusal to sign the electronic signature document,when a specified amount or period of time passes, or the like.

FIG. 1 illustrates an example block diagram of an example embodiment ofan electronic signature service. In particular, FIG. 1 depicts an ESS110 utilized by a sender user 10 and a signer user 11 to perform anelectronic signing of a signature document 20. FIG. 1 also depicts atransferee 12 who receives custody of the signature document 20.

In the illustrated scenario, the sender 10 operates a sender clientdevice 160 in order to provide (e.g., upload, transmit) an electronicdocument 20 (e.g., an invoice, contract, or agreement) to the ESS 110,where it is securely stored. The electronic document includes or isassociated with custody rules 21 that are configured to cause custody ofthe document 20 to transfer from the sender 10 to the transferee 12,possibly upon the occurrence of one or more conditions. In someembodiments or configurations, the sender 10 and transferee 12 may be inor work for the same organization. For example, the sender 10 may be asales representative while the transferee 12 may be a sales manager oran in-house attorney who reviews and records sales contracts. In othersituations, the sender 10 and transferee 12 may work for distinctorganizations or entities.

The sender 10 and/or some other user (e.g., an administrator) mayconfigure the document 20 and/or the custody rules 21. For example, anadministrator may interact with a user interface configured tofacilitate the specification of custody rules and associated conditions.The custody rules 21 are then stored by the ESS 110 in association withthe document 20. In this example, the custody rules 21 are configured tocause custody of the document 20 to transfer to the transferee uponsignature by the signer 11. At this time, the sender 10 may furthermodify, configure, or customize the document 20, such as by changingprice and quantity terms, party names, dates, and the like.

After the sender 10 configures the document 20 to his satisfaction, thesigner 11 may access the document 20. In one embodiment, the sender 10notifies the signer 11, such as by causing the ESS 110 to send to thesigner 11 a message (e.g., an email) that includes a reference (e.g., aURL) to the document 20 stored by the ESS 110. As another example, thesender 10 may directly include the document 20 in an email or othermessage transmitted to the signer 11. As a further example, the document20 may be automatically presented to the signer 11 as part of atransaction. For example, an e-commerce system may cause the document 20to be presented or transmitted to the signer 11 during or as part of atransaction for a good/service purchased via the e-commerce system.

Typically, the signer 11 operates a Web browser or other client moduleexecuting on the signer client device 161 to access and review thedocument 20 via the ESS 110. For example, if the signer 11 receives anemail that includes a link to the document 20, the signer can click thelink to visit the ESS 110 in order review and sign the document 20. Ifinstead the signer 11 receives the document 20 itself directly from thesender 10, opening the document will also cause the user to visit theESS 110 to provide the required signature information. When the document20 and related data have been reviewed (and possibly modified) to thesatisfaction of the signer 11, the signer attaches (or provides anindication or instruction to attach) his electronic signature to thedocument 20.

Once the signing has been completed, the ESS 110 causes custody of thedocument 20 to change from the sender 10 to the transferee 12. At thistime, the sender 10 may lose one or more rights, such as the right toview, modify, or delete the document 20. In addition, the transferee 12may gain one or more rights, such as the right to view, modify, ordelete the document 20. The transferee 12 can access and perform variousoperations (e.g., view, modify, delete) via the transferee client device162. Custody transfer rules may specify custody chains or sequences ofarbitrary length (e.g., more than the two parties shown in thisexample). For example, custody of a document may transfer from a salesrepresentative to a sales manager and thence to an in-house attorney.

In some embodiments, the document 20 may be associated with an envelopeor other data structure that functions as a container that includes thedocument 20 (or a reference thereto) along with meta-information,including signature information, sender information (e.g., names,addresses), recipient/signer information (e.g., email addresses, names),and the like. Custody rules may be configured to manage access to anenvelope and its related information. For example, one custody rule mayspecify that once the sender 10 has transferred control to thetransferee 12, the sender 10 may view but not modify envelopeinformation including the document 20. The transferee 11, in turn, mayreceive additional rights, such as to delete the document 20, viewinformation added to a form associated with the document 20, clone thedocument 20, or the like. In some embodiments, a user may upload a filethat contains information about multiple documents for which custody isto be transferred, so as to effect a bulk transfer from one party toanother.

FIG. 2 is a flow diagram of an example rules manager process 200according to an example embodiment. The process of FIG. 2 may beperformed by the ESS 110.

The illustrated process begins at block 202, where it associates acustody transfer rule with an electronic signature document. Associatinga custody rule may include storing data structure or record that relatesthe custody rule with the document. The custody rule itself may be adata structure or record that includes indications of the document,users impacted by the custody rule, conditions or events that triggercustody transfers, access rights impacted by the rule, or the like.

At block 204, the process, in response to occurrence of an event,transfers custody of the document based on the custody transfer rule.Transferring custody may include removing one or more access rights fromthe first user, and in turn, granting those access rights to a seconduser. Different kinds of events may trigger the transfer operation,including the presentation (e.g., viewing), receipt, signature, or otheroperation upon or with respect to a signature document. Some events maybe time based, so that custody transfers are triggered upon a passage oftime or on a specified calendar day.

At block 206, the process stores information about the transfer ofcustody of the electronic signature document. Storing information aboutcustody transfer may include updating a data structure or record toreflect a new document owner, to remove rights from one user, to grantrights to another user, or the like. After block 206, the process ends.

The process may perform additional or different operations. In someembodiments, the process may also enforce access rules governed by thecustody rule. For example, when the process receives an indication thata user is attempting to perform some operation (e.g., view, edit,delete) with respect to the signature document or its meta-data, theprocess may allow or disallow the operation based on a determinationwhether the user has the appropriate access rights to perform theindicated operation.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an example computing system forimplementing an electronic signature service according to an exampleembodiment. In particular, FIG. 3 shows a computing system 100 that maybe utilized to implement an ESS 110.

Note that one or more general purpose or special purpose computingsystems/devices may be used to implement the ESS 110. In addition, thecomputing system 100 may comprise one or more distinct computingsystems/devices and may span distributed locations. Furthermore, eachblock shown may represent one or more such blocks as appropriate to aspecific embodiment or may be combined with other blocks. Also, the ESS110 may be implemented in software, hardware, firmware, or in somecombination to achieve the capabilities described herein.

In the embodiment shown, computing system 100 comprises a computermemory (“memory”) 101, a display 102, one or more Central ProcessingUnits (“CPU”) 103, Input/Output devices 104 (e.g., keyboard, mouse, CRTor LCD display, and the like), other computer-readable media 105, andnetwork connections 106 connected to a network 150. The ESS 110 is shownresiding in memory 101. In other embodiments, some portion of thecontents, some or all of the components of the ESS 110 may be stored onand/or transmitted over the other computer-readable media 105. Thecomponents of the ESS 110 preferably execute on one or more CPUs 103 andmanage electronic signature processes including custody transfers asdescribed herein. Other code or programs 130 (e.g., an administrativeinterface, a Web server, and the like) and potentially other datarepositories, such as data repository 120, also reside in the memory101, and preferably execute on one or more CPUs 103. Of note, one ormore of the components in FIG. 3 may not be present in any specificimplementation. For example, some embodiments may not provide othercomputer readable media 105 or a display 102.

The ESS 110 includes a service manager 111, a user interface (“UI”)manager 112, an electronic signature service application programinterface (“API”) 113, a rules manager 114, and an electronic signatureservice data store 115.

The ESS 110, via the service manager 111 and related logic, generallyperforms electronic signature-related functions for or on behalf ofusers operating a sender client device 160, a signer client device 161,and a transferee client device 162. In one embodiment, a senderoperating the sender client device 160 provides (e.g., transmits,uploads, sends) a document to be electronically signed to the ESS 110.The ESS 110 stores the document securely in data store 115. Securedocument storage may include using cryptographic techniques to detectdocument tampering, such as generating hashes, message digests, or thelike. In some embodiments, the document is stored as part of (or inassociation with) an “envelope” that is used to track and recordinformation about the document as it progresses through its lifecycle ofcreation, transfer, signature, completion, and the like.

A signer operating the signer client device 161 then accesses, reviews,and signs the document stored by the ESS 110. In some embodiments, theESS 110 transmits images or some other representation of the document tothe signer client device 161, which in turn transmits signature dataincluding an indication of the signer's signature (or intent to sign) tothe ESS 110. The ESS 110 then securely stores the provided signaturedata in association with the document in the data store 115.

The rules manager 114 facilitates custody transfers of electronicsignature documents as discussed herein. Initially, a sender or otheruser operating the sender client device 160 may associate custodytransfer rules with an electronic signature document stored in the datastore 115. The rules manager 114 tracks and executes the specified rulesas appropriate. For example, if a rule indicates custody transfer upondocument signature, the rules manager 114 monitors the document and, inresponse to a received signature, modifies (or causes to be modified)data structures or other records that specify or control access rightsor operations associated with the document. In particular, access rightsmay be removed or disassociated from a first user. In addition orinstead, the same or different access rights may be granted or otherwiseassociated with a second user. In some embodiments, custody transfersmay occur between groups of users.

A custody transfer rule may be represented as a data structure, recordin a database, or similar. The custody transfer rule may includeindications of users that are impacted by the rule, events that triggerthe rule, and access rights (e.g., view, modify, delete) that areshifted based on the rule and one or more events.

The UI manager 112 provides a view and a controller that facilitate userinteraction with the ESS 110 and its various components. For example,the UI manager 112 may provide interactive access to the ESS 110, suchthat users can upload or download documents for signature, create and/orconfigure custody rules associated with or incorporated into signaturedocuments, and the like. In some embodiments, access to thefunctionality of the UI manager 112 may be provided via a Web server,possibly executing as one of the other programs 130. In suchembodiments, a user operating a Web browser (or other client) executingon one of the client devices 160-162 can interact with the ESS 110 viathe UI manager 112.

The API 113 provides programmatic access to one or more functions of theESS 110. For example, the API 113 may provide a programmatic interfaceto one or more functions of the ESS 110 that may be invoked by one ofthe other programs 130 or some other module. In this manner, the API 113facilitates the development of third-party software, such as userinterfaces, plug-ins, news feeds, adapters (e.g., for integratingfunctions of the ESS 110 into Web applications), and the like. Inaddition, the API 113 may be in at least some embodiments invoked orotherwise accessed via remote entities, such as a third-party system(not shown), to access various functions of the ESS 110. For example, acustomer relationship management system may push or otherwise importcustomer data and/or agreements into the ESS via the API 113.

The data store 115 is used by the other modules of the ESS 110 to storeand/or communicate information. The components of the ESS 110 use thedata store 115 to record various types of information, includingdocuments, signatures, custody rules, and the like. Although thecomponents of the ESS 110 are described as communicating primarilythrough the data store 115, other communication mechanisms arecontemplated, including message passing, function calls, pipes, sockets,shared memory, and the like.

The ESS 110 interacts via the network 150 with client devices 160-162.The network 150 may be any combination of one or more media (e.g.,twisted pair, coaxial, fiber optic, radio frequency), hardware (e.g.,routers, switches, repeaters, transceivers), and one or more protocols(e.g., TCP/IP, UDP, Ethernet, Wi-Fi, WiMAX) that facilitatecommunication between remotely situated humans and/or devices. In someembodiments, the network 150 may be or include multiple distinctcommunication channels or mechanisms (e.g., cable-based and wireless).The client devices 160-162 include personal computers, laptop computers,smart phones, personal digital assistants, tablet computers, and thelike.

In an example embodiment, components/modules of the ESS 110 areimplemented using standard programming techniques. For example, the ESS110 may be implemented as a “native” executable running on the CPU 103,along with one or more static or dynamic libraries. In otherembodiments, the ESS 110 may be implemented as instructions processed bya virtual machine that executes as one of the other programs 130. Ingeneral, a range of programming languages known in the art may beemployed for implementing such example embodiments, includingrepresentative implementations of various programming languageparadigms, including but not limited to, object-oriented (e.g., Java,C++, C#, Visual Basic.NET, Smalltalk, and the like), functional (e.g.,ML, Lisp, Scheme, and the like), procedural (e.g., C, Pascal, Ada,Modula, and the like), scripting (e.g., Perl, Ruby, Python, JavaScript,VBScript, and the like), and declarative (e.g., SQL, Prolog, and thelike).

The embodiments described above may also use either well-known orproprietary synchronous or asynchronous client-server computingtechniques. Also, the various components may be implemented using moremonolithic programming techniques, for example, as an executable runningon a single CPU computer system, or alternatively decomposed using avariety of structuring techniques known in the art, including but notlimited to, multiprogramming, multithreading, client-server, orpeer-to-peer, running on one or more computer systems each having one ormore CPUs. Some embodiments may execute concurrently and asynchronously,and communicate using message passing techniques. Equivalent synchronousembodiments are also supported. Also, other functions could beimplemented and/or performed by each component/module, and in differentorders, and by different components/modules, yet still achieve thedescribed functions.

In addition, programming interfaces to the data stored as part of theESS 110, such as in the data store 118, can be available by standardmechanisms such as through C, C++, C#, and Java APIs; libraries foraccessing files, databases, or other data repositories; throughscripting languages such as XML; or through Web servers, FTP servers, orother types of servers providing access to stored data. The data store118 may be implemented as one or more database systems, file systems, orany other technique for storing such information, or any combination ofthe above, including implementations using distributed computingtechniques.

Different configurations and locations of programs and data arecontemplated for use with techniques described herein. A variety ofdistributed computing techniques are appropriate for implementing thecomponents of the illustrated embodiments in a distributed mannerincluding but not limited to TCP/IP sockets, RPC, RMI, HTTP, WebServices (XML-RPC, JAX-RPC, SOAP, and the like). Other variations arepossible. Also, other functionality could be provided by eachcomponent/module, or existing functionality could be distributed amongstthe components/modules in different ways, yet still achieve thefunctions described herein.

Furthermore, in some embodiments, some or all of the components of theESS 110 may be implemented or provided in other manners, such as atleast partially in firmware and/or hardware, including, but not limitedto one or more application-specific integrated circuits (“ASICs”),standard integrated circuits, controllers executing appropriateinstructions, and including microcontrollers and/or embeddedcontrollers, field-programmable gate arrays (“FPGAs”), complexprogrammable logic devices (“CPLDs”), and the like. Some or all of thesystem components and/or data structures may also be stored as contents(e.g., as executable or other machine-readable software instructions orstructured data) on a computer-readable medium (e.g., as a hard disk; amemory; a computer network or cellular wireless network or other datatransmission medium; or a portable media article to be read by anappropriate drive or via an appropriate connection, such as a DVD orflash memory device) so as to enable or configure the computer-readablemedium and/or one or more associated computing systems or devices toexecute or otherwise use or provide the contents to perform at leastsome of the described techniques. Some or all of the system componentsand data structures may also be stored as data signals (e.g., by beingencoded as part of a carrier wave or included as part of an analog ordigital propagated signal) on a variety of computer-readabletransmission mediums, which are then transmitted, including acrosswireless-based and wired/cable-based mediums, and may take a variety offorms (e.g., as part of a single or multiplexed analog signal, or asmultiple discrete digital packets or frames). Such computer programproducts may also take other forms in other embodiments. Accordingly,embodiments of this disclosure may be practiced with other computersystem configurations.

It should be apparent to those skilled in the art that many moremodifications besides those already described are possible withoutdeparting from the inventive concepts herein. Moreover, in interpretingboth the specification and the claims, all terms should be interpretedin the broadest possible manner consistent with the context. Inparticular, the terms “includes,” “including,” “comprises,” and“comprising” should be interpreted as referring to elements, components,or steps in a non-exclusive manner, indicating that the referencedelements, components, or steps may be present, or utilized, or combinedwith other elements, components, or steps that are not expresslyreferenced. Where the specification claims refers to at least one ofsomething selected from the group consisting of A, B, C . . . . and N,the text should be interpreted as requiring one or more elements fromthe set {A, B, C, . . . N}, and not N in addition to one or moreelements from the set {A, B, C}.

All of the above-cited references, including U.S. ProvisionalApplication No. 61/614,371, filed Mar. 22, 2012, entitled “SYSTEM ANDMETHOD FOR RULES-BASED CONTROL OF CUSTODY OF ELECTRONIC SIGNATURETRANSACTIONS” are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.Where a definition or use of a term in an incorporated reference isinconsistent with or contrary to the definition or use of that termprovided herein, the definition or use of that term provided hereingoverns.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated anddescribed, as noted above, many changes can be made without departingfrom the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope ofthe invention is not limited by the disclosure of the preferredembodiment.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property orprivilege is claimed are defined as follows:
 1. A computer-implementedmethod comprising: accessing, by an Electronic Service System (ESS)computing device, an electronic document uploaded to the ESS computingdevice by a first client computing device of a first user; accessing, bythe ESS computing device, a set of custody rules associated with theelectronic document, the set of custody rules controlling access to thedocument by a plurality of users including the first user and a seconduser of a second client computing device, the set of custody rulesincluding a custody rule transferring an access right from the firstuser to the second user based on occurrence of at least one event;processing, by the ESS computing device, a transaction associated withthe electronic document and involving a third client computing device ofa third user of the plurality of users; detecting, based at least inpart on evaluation of operations performed by the third client computingdevice in reference to the transaction, an occurrence of the at leastone event; and in response to the occurrence of the at least one event,transferring custody of the electronic document from the first user tothe second user in accordance with the access right, and denying thefirst user access, via the first client computing device, to theelectronic document governed by the access right while granting thesecond user access, via the second client computing device, to theelectronic document governed by the access right.
 2. The method of claim1, wherein the event includes a response to an electronic signaturerequest by the third user.
 3. The method of claim 2, wherein theresponse includes one of: a receipt of signature of the electronicdocument by the third user; or a refusal of signature of the electronicdocument by the third user.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the accessright comprises at least one of: a right to modify the contents of theelectronic document; and a right to delete the electronic document fromthe computing device.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein after thetransferring custody of the electronic document from the first user tothe second user, the first user is to retain a second access right toview the electronic document and to view a data structure comprisinginformation corresponding to the signature of the electronic document.6. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing data indicating thetransfer of custody of the electronic document to prevent a clientdevice associated with the first user from accessing the electronicdocument according to the access right with respect to the electronicdocument, and to allow access to the electronic document according tothe access right with respect to the electronic document to a clientdevice associated with the second user.
 7. The method of claim 1,wherein the method further comprises: transmitting an email to the thirduser, the email including a link operable to access the electronicdocument on the computing device, wherein the event comprises receivingan indication that the third user has activated the link to access theelectronic document.
 8. An Electronic Service System (ESS) computingdevice comprising: a processor; and memory coupled to the processor andstoring instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the ESScomputing device to perform operations comprising: accessing anelectronic document uploaded to the ESS computing device by a firstclient computing device of a first user; accessing a set of custodyrules associated with the electronic document, the set of custody rulescontrolling access to the document by a plurality of users including thefirst user and a second user of a second client computing device, theset of custody rules including a custody rule transferring an accessright from the first user to a second user of the plurality of usersbased on occurrence of at least one event; processing a transactionassociated with the electronic document and involving a third clientcomputing device of a third user of the plurality of users; detecting,based at least in part on evaluation of operations performed by thethird client computing device in reference to the transaction, anoccurrence of the at least one event; and in response to the occurrenceof the at least one event, transferring custody of the electronicdocument from the first user to the second user in accordance with theaccess right, and denying the first user access, via the first clientcomputing device, to the electronic document governed by the accessright while granting the second user access, via the second clientcomputing device, to the electronic document governed by the accessright.
 9. The computing system of claim 8, wherein the event includes aresponse to an electronic signature request by the third user.
 10. Thecomputing system of claim 9, wherein the response includes one of: areceipt of signature of the electronic document by the third user; or arefusal of signature of the electronic document by the third user. 11.The computing system of claim 8, wherein the access right comprises atleast one of: a right to modify the contents of the electronic document;and a right to delete the electronic document from the computing device.12. The computing system of claim 8, wherein after the transferringcustody of the electronic document from the first user to the seconduser, the first user is to retain a second access right to view theelectronic document and to view a data structure comprising informationcorresponding to the signature of the electronic document.
 13. Thecomputing system of claim 8, wherein the instructions further includeinstructions that cause the computing system to perform an operationincluding storing data indicating the transfer of custody of theelectronic document to prevent a client device associated with the firstuser from accessing the electronic document according to the accessright with respect to the electronic document, and to allow access tothe electronic document according to the access right with respect tothe electronic document to a client device associated with the seconduser.
 14. The computing system of claim 8, wherein the instructionsfurther include instructions that cause the computing system to performan operation including: transmitting an email to the third user, theemail including a link operable to access the electronic document on thecomputing device, wherein the event comprises receiving an indicationthat the third user has activated the link to access the electronicdocument.
 15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage mediumincluding instructions that, when executed on an Electronic ServiceSystem (ESS) computing device, cause the ESS computing device to performoperations including: accessing an electronic document uploaded to theESS computing device by a first client computing device of a first user;accessing a set of custody rules associated with the electronicdocument, the set of custody rules controlling access to the document bya plurality of users including the first user, the set of custody rulesincluding a first custody rule transferring an access right from thefirst user to a second user of the plurality of users based onoccurrence of at least one event; processing a transaction associatedwith the electronic document and involving a third client computingdevice of a third user of the plurality of users; detecting, based atleast in part on evaluation of operations performed by the third clientcomputing device in reference to the transaction, an occurrence of theat least one event; and in response to the occurrence of the at leastone event, transferring custody of the electronic document from thefirst user to the second user in accordance with the access right, anddenying the first user access, via the first client computing device, tothe electronic document governed by the access right while granting thesecond user access, via the second client computing device, to theelectronic document governed by the access right.
 16. The non-transitorycomputer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the event includesa response to an electronic signature request by the third user.
 17. Thenon-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein theresponse includes one of: a receipt of signature of the electronicdocument by the third user; or a refusal of signature of the electronicdocument by the third user.
 18. The non-transitory computer-readablestorage medium of claim 15, wherein the access right comprises at leastone of: a right to modify the contents of the electronic document; and aright to delete the electronic document from the computing device. 19.The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, whereinafter the transferring custody of the electronic document from the firstuser to the second user, the first user is to retain a second accessright to view the electronic document and to view a data structurecomprising information corresponding to the signature of the electronicdocument.
 20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium ofclaim 15, wherein the instructions further include instructions thatcause the computing device to perform an operation including storingdata indicating the transfer of custody of the electronic document toprevent a client device associated with the first user from accessingthe electronic document according to the access right with respect tothe electronic document, and to allow access to the electronic documentaccording to the access right with respect to the electronic document toa client device associated with the second user.
 21. The non-transitorycomputer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the instructionsfurther include instructions that cause the computing device to performan operation including: transmitting an email to the third user, theemail including a link operable to access the electronic document on thecomputing device, wherein the event comprises receiving an indicationthat the third user has activated the link to access the electronicdocument.